October exhibition completely sold out! - The highly regarded Instrumentation South exhibition from Trident Exhibitions is taking place in Reading (GB) on October 3rd & 4th 2007. This year's event will have the added bonus of a separate co-located event entitled Displays Technology South 2007. The organisers tell us that both events are now completely sold out and a waiting list for potential exhibitors is now in place.

Temperature and humidity transmitter, "The smart choice in HVAC control!" - For years, Testo has been well known in the marketplace for its high specification humidity transmitters for drying processes and critical ambient condition monitoring. With the new Testo 6621, this sensor and electronics know-how is now available in a low cost package for more general HVAC building control applications. The attractive "architect friendly" design is the perfect solution for monitoring temperature and humidity in buildings whether mounted on a wall or in a ventilation duct.

Tough vibration transducer can take the heat - The Environmental Equipments Model 1070 industrial vibration transducer is the tough guy of the transducer world. Unaffected by temperatures between ­20°C and +500°C, the 1070 is ideal for vibration monitoring in the harshest industrial conditions. The stainless steel casing of the transducer and the permanently attached signal conditioning unit (SCU) and 500g high shock tolerance makes the transducer suitable for continuous machine condition monitoring applications where long term signal reliability is essential.

Breaking all Records - The car park at the Bretby Conference Centre (GB) was, once again, full to bursting with record attendances at this year's MCERTS conference, workshops and exhibition. Running over two days last April, MCERTS 2007 provided delegates with an opportunity to assimilate the latest developments in legislation, Standards and monitoring technologies in the field of air/gas testing and monitoring.

Fastest redundancy - "Any Break in the Network Will Be Recovered in Less Than 10 ms" - The Industrial Ethernet managed switches from Contemporary Controls (EICPM, EISXM and EISBM Series) can provide recovery times of less than 10 ms when using trunking between our switches. "Faster than what our competitors can offer," says Bennet Levine, R&D Manager for Contemporary Controls. Trunking allows switches to be interconnected with multiple parallel cables. The more cables you add between switches, the more levels of redundancy you provide. With two cables between two switches, you have one level of redundancy. With three cables you have two levels of redundancy and so on.

High-input optical power meter broadens application of optical test system - A new optical power meter has been introduced for use with the Yokogawa AQ2200 Series multi-application test system, adding powerful and fast high optical input power measurements to enhance the instrument's flexibility. The new AQ2200-215 is an optical power meter module that covers high optical power levels up to +30 dBm and features high-speed sampling and various data-processing functions. It is designed for use in conjunction with Yokogawa AQ2200 Series modules and the AQ6370 optical spectrum analyser, allowing a complete measurement system to be configured for different applications.

Latest software version released - ARC Informatique has released the latest version of its flagship SCADA product PcVue version 8.10. This will be available throughout ARC's worldwide subsidiary and distributor network. The major functionality in PcVue 8.10 is our Historical Data Server (HDS) based on a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database. This offers the user an industry standard database format for data and alarm logging. Compatibility with other applications such as MES and ERP combined with ARC Informatique's redundancy capabilities give end users access to key data with maximum application availability.

Strategic partnership sealed - Coronis Systems the designer and developer of ultra-low-power (ULP) and long-range wireless solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Mesh Systems the wireless sensor networks (WSN) integrator. Mesh Systems will deploy the Wavenis technology in conjunction with its MeshVista Platform and wireless sensor network applications.

Connections for Growth & Success - The latest newsletter from the pre-eminent commentator Jim Pinto has just been released.

Flow monitoring system - The carefully engineered BW DIGI-METER™ F-2000 Series from Blue-White, is offered in four model variations. Model AO: Optional 4-20 mA / 0-10 VDC analog output, flow rate and totalizer. Model PC: Batch processing circuitry, including high/low flow rate alarm, proportional chemical metering, flow rate and totalizer. Model AP: Analog output, batch processing, flow rate alarm, proportional chemical metering, flow rate and totalizer. Model RT: Rate and totalizer, can be battery powered.

Instrumentation Technical Library - Limited offer! The library from IDC Technologies comprises their top 15 Instrumentation manuals. However, when this library is ordered, they will receive 15 books for the price of 10. All these books have been written by professionals in their field, to give practical information. These practical, fully illustrated books are specially designed to arm users with expertise and practical knowledge they can apply immediately to your workplace. The 15 books provide the latest information on ALL aspects of Instrumentation, Automation and Process Control Engineering. Book titles are: 1. Motion Control for Engineers and Technicians 2. Distributed Control Systems (DCS) 3. SCADA & Telemetry Systems 4. Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) for Automation and Process Control 5. Safety Instrumentation & Emergency Shutdown Systems for Process Industries 6. Alarm Management for Engineers and Technicians 7. Intrinsic Safety for Engineers and Technicians 8. Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings and Documentation 9. Batch Management & Control (including S88) for Industry 10. Process Control for Engineers and Technicians 11. Industrial Programming using 61131-3 for PLCs 12. Hazops, Trips and Alarms 13. Data Acquisition using Personal Computers and Standalone Systems 14. Industrial Flow Measurement for Engineers and Technicians 15. Instrumentation for Automation and Process Control Further details (pdf)

Blue-White Industries support the Signpost with an advertisement on our Home Page

Programmable USB/AC Li-Ion charger cuts charging time - Summit Microelectronics has expanded its family of Programmable Battery Charger integrated circuits (ICs) with the introduction of the SMB138, targeted at the latest portable consumer electronics applications. Specially designed to optimize battery charging from any power source, including the popular Universal Serial Bus (USB) and other current-limited sources, the SMB138 is the most complete and flexible solution for the latest mobile devices.

New, easy-to-use engineering tool delivers advanced simulation and modeling data to MS Excel users - The SimSci-Esscor has introduced a new engineering tool that brings the power of advanced plant and process simulation and modeling to desktops everywhere without programming. The new SIM4ME® Portal constructs a simple, bidirectional communication link between the world's leading, steady-state simulator, their PRO/II®, and the world's most popular spreadsheet program, Microsoft® Excel.

New linear positioning stages are competitively priced for high performance medium precision applications - Aerotech's new low-cost ATS115 and ATS165 positioning stages feature linear motion guide bearings, precision ball screws and durable hard cover/side-seal protection for high performance, medium precision positioning applications. The servo motor driven stages have nominal widths of 115 mm or 165 mm, a choice of travel range from 50 mm to 600 mm and a low-profile height of just 60 mm. They are suited for long and trouble-free use in medium duty manufacturing production and research automation where ≤45 kg direct loading, 300 mm/sec speed and bidirectional repeatability above ±1.0 m per-axis is required.

Framework contract signed - Krohne Messtechnik has concluded a framework contract at this year's Hannover/Interkama Fair with Uhde regarding the supply of flowmeters. The agreement encompasses electro-magnetic,Coriolis and variable area flowmeters. In addition, Uhde can also obtain ultrasonic and vortex flowmeters from them at very favorable terms.

Motion Control Company enters the Irish Market - Total Motion Systems (TMS), manufacturers of one of the largest ranges of CE marked industrial stepper motors in the world have now opened up an Irish office. They have appointed Richard Colson, a professional engineer with over 20 years of motion control experience, to provide applications engineering and technical support for our product range throughout the country.

Sea water submersible LVDTs - For measuring or controlling position beneath the sea or in harsh industrial applications, the SSD series of position transducers from RDP Electronics provide an economic and practical solution. Using the linear variable differential transformer (LVDT ) principle means that it is probably the most robust and reliable position sensor type available. Suitable for use on underwater control valves or vehicles and for measuring movement on structures, the SSD range is constructed from a special grade of stainless steel and fully welded to encounter pressure experienced at depths of up to 2,300 m. Calibrated outputs of ±5 v or 0-10 v are available as standard with the option of 4-20 mA 2 wire transmission providing accurate data even over long cable runs.

Furnace rebuild improves productivity - A Walking Beam furnace rebuild, incorporating a Stein Heurtey designed and patented Digit@lFurnace solution with a control system implemented by Eurotherm, has increased throughput and delivered improved energy efficiency while reducing emissions for Corus in their Port Talbot (South Wales GB) plant.
Corus had a requirement to replace an existing Walking Beam furnace installation with one that will provide an increased throughput capability and availability. Improving energy efficiency and the ability to burn dual fuels, with a reduction in Nox and CO2 emissions where also an integral part of the specification.
Working together with the furnace manufacturer Stein Heurtey, "we were able use their knowledge of the process and furnace design, together with our expertise in control system design and implementation, to deliver a furnace and control solution that would achieve the requirements Corus had identified."

Teeny sensor - The new Type 6189A sensor from Kistler for monitoring both mould cavity pressure and part surface temperature is the smallest in the world with a front diameter of only 2.5mm. The new sensor, part of the Kistler range of sensors for the injection moulding industry, is suitable for use with multi-cavity moulds producing very small parts. The quartz pressure measuring element, sensitivity 6.5 pC/bar, has two, Type K thermocouple leads fed through and welded to the front face of the sensor to achieve a rapid reaction to changes in temperature. The Type 6189A sensor has a range of 0 to 2,000 bar and 0 to 200°C. The miniature connector used on the sensor can be replaced easily, if damaged.

Letter to the Editor! Dear kind, understanding, gentle editor Kindly ask your readers to use this address to download the TRUNKSAFE brochure. The other address will get them there, but this one is more direct. I made the change below. I am so embarrassed. It's back to PR101 for me, to re-learn the lesson: Don't make customers hunt for things on your web site! Rich Merritt, Director, Marketing Communications Moore Industries-International, Inc. How could we refuse? Ed

LNB voltage regulator ICs for satellite receivers - Allegro MicroSystems Europe has introduced four new voltage regulator integrated circuits for use in the LNB (low noise block) sections of analogue and digital satellite receivers. The A8290 and A8291 are single LNB supply control voltage regulators, while the A8286 and A8292 are dual LNB supply voltage regulators. All are designed for high efficiency, using Allegro's advanced BCD process.

New sensor solutions group - Precision Solutions has announced the formation of a new 'Sensors Solutions' section. Precision Solutions is a business unit of MBDA UK, providing facilities to general defence, security and aerospace organisations which were previously only available for use in missile applications. The new Sensors Solutions section covers enhanced vision systems based on mmW RF imaging technology (94 GHz), Hardware in Loop (HWIL) IR countermeasures and LADAR.

Testing whisky, gin, brandy and other bottle presentation boxes - Diageo's Brand Technical Centre in Menstrie in Scotland has purchased a Lloyd Instruments' LRXPlus single column materials testing machine equipped with NEXYGENPlus material test and data analysis software and a specially designed jig to allow testing of the strength of the base of cardboard presentation boxes for whisky and other popular alcoholic drinks.
With boxed drinks an increasingly popular gift throughout the year, it is important for to ensure that the interlocked flaps that form the base of the box will not give way under the weight of the bottle. The new system measures the load force required to push open the base of the box. The test can be carried out completely automatically using the NEXYGENPlus software.

Solid state MUX introduced - The 40-682 is a an equivalent to the Pickering Interfaces 40-612 Versatile MUX but uses high performance solid state switches having a long service life, no switch bounce, and low on resistance. The on resistance of each multiplexer is typically just 3.2 ohms, significantly lower than any other PXI solid state switching module. Use of FET switches in the design ensures that the module can handle high currents without degrading the life time of the switches.

Industry's first PXI express high-speed instruments and 18-slot PXI express chassis - National Instrument has announced the industry's first PXI Express high-speed instruments as well as the industry's first 18-slot PXI Express chassis. The new modular instruments include the NI PXIe-5122 100 MS/s, 100 MHz dual-channel digitiser and the NI PXIe-6537 and NI PXIe-6536 50 MHz and 25 MHz 32-channel digital I/O modules. The NI PXIe-1065 18-slot chassis offers up to 1 GB/s per-slot dedicated bandwidth and a combination of both PXI and PXI Express slots. The new PXI Express products are ideal for applications such as signal intelligence, spectral monitoring, semiconductor chip characterisation and video test.

MID-Certified energy meter is compact, easy to install and use - Carlo Gavazzi has introduced a new family of energy meters in compact housings. The first model within the family ­ EM24 ­ is the smallest and most powerful MID-Certified instrument on the market that allows a three-phase direct connection up to 65A. EM24 provides complete utility metering for load analysis, offering conventional three-phase active and reactive energy measurements, together with gas, hot and cold water and remote heating consumption. The meter conforms to the newly introduced Measuring Instruments Directive (MID), it also meets the latest Accuracy Class 1 European standards EN62053-21 and EN50470-3 (Class B,) it has a tamper proof terminal cover to protect all inputs/outputs for when being used for revenue or billing purposes.

Use an SEM for the day! - Lambda Advanced Technology (LAT) is offering organisations in the UK the use of a scanning electron microscope for a day at no charge. The company will provide a Hitachi TM-1000 Tabletop Microscope from 10.30 AM until 4.30 PM for on-site usage in Britain. LAT Director, Vince Phelan, explains: "The TM-1000 is not only extremely easy to use, but also easy to set up. We can arrive first thing in the morning, install the microscope and give some basic training and the user should be up and running by 10.30 AM. We'll leave the system for unlimited use until 4.30 PM, when we'll come and dismantle it and take it away again."

Leveraging MES solution in plants manufacturing renowned surfaces and nonWovens products - GE Fanuc Automation has announced that its Proficy™ Plant Applications suite of Production Management products has been named a solution-of-choice for complex manufacturing systems within DuPont, a global leader in creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere.
Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for industries including agriculture and food, building and construction, communications, and transportation.

Special 6 metre temperature sensors for "Green Energy" production - In support of current efforts to reduce carbon emissions, FP Temperature Sensors, a trademark of Ametek Calibration Instruments, has manufactured and supplied 6 m long versions of its AMK thermocouple assembly sensors for use in the production of "green" electricity and heat by burning biomass. The sensors were commissioned by Energi Randers Production, suppliers of electricity heating and water in Randers, (DK), following close co-operation with AMETEK Calibration Instruments.

Unique cameras - Firstsight Vision now offers five new AVT Guppy ultra-compact cameras to industrial and scientific OEMs, system Integrators and resellers. Available in monochrome or colour versions, the AVT GUPPY camera family uses the IEEE-1394 FireWire™ serial digital interface. The new models are equipped with Sony Interlaced CCDs and are believed to be the only interlaced FireWire™ cameras currently available. Two of the new models feature sensors with Sony's " EXview HAD CCD " technology, which dramatically increases sensitivity, especially into the near infrared region (NIR) of the spectrum.

All Aspects of 'Light Measurement' in Munich - The entire spectrum of light measurement will be on show at LASER 2007. World of Photonics (18 - 21 June 2007 in Munich, (D)). Visitors will get the opportunity to see, inspect and discuss the latest measurement systems from many of the industry's leading manufacturers. From systems for the analysis of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and other optical components, through instruments for transmission and reflection testing of optical systems and up to measurement platforms for research and development, Laser 2007.World of Photonics will present it all.

Rotating machinery software delivers radical new design productivity for motor and generator manufacturers - Vector Fields is announcing a breakthrough in design software for rotating electrical machinery which combines the extreme accuracy of finite-element analysis (FEA) modelling with a design entry system that allows users to create electric motor or generator models in minutes. The software - which is part of the well-known OPERA electromagnetic design tool - allows users to achieve radical new levels of design productivity and efficiency.

New website incorporates unique cable finding facility allowing easy access to 40,000 cabling products - - The Lapp Group, leaders at providing the latest cable solutions, has remodelled its website to provide existing and potential customers with easy access to information about its industry leading product ranges. The site contains an online version of their recently published 2007 1000-plus page "Connecting the World" product catalogue which provides comprehensive details of more than 40,000 Lapp products including full technical data, applications information and ordering criteria.

ISA-5 P&ID CLIP SYMBOLS VERSION 2.0 ISA-5 P&ID Clip Symbols Version 2.0 (CD) provides symbols in .DWG, .WMP, and .DXF file formats, allowing them to be employed with Visio, AutoCAD, and most other CAD software platforms, plus many other software applications (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.). P&ID Clip Symbols is a must for engineering and construction firms, instrument engineers and technicians, and anyone else who develops P&IDs. Our Standards Page

Dissolved Hydrogen Sulphide monitor achieves accurate measurements in water - Analytical Technology Inc. (ATi) tells us that its A15/81 dissolved hydrogen sulphide monitor is the first system to achieve precise and direct measurements of hydrogen sulphide levels in water. The analyser provides continuous, accurate and sensitive measurements of true dissolved sulphide levels whilst requiring very little maintenance due to non-contact gas phase measurement. The A15/81 monitor is of particular interest to the metals industry, where the measurement of sulphides is an essential part of the wastewater treatment process.

Real-time data capture of beer dispense via the internet within the pub and leisure industry - Comtech and Nucleus Data, the fastest growing company in the beer dispense management information sector, have announced a cooperation agreement to launch Starway™, a state of the art service-based solution for the pub and leisure industry.
In a second release they and Solution Provider and Servisional have formed a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Business Process Management (BPM) technology solutions company, have announced a strategic partnership agreement. This brings together best of breed solutions for automated machine connectivity and Enterprise level I.T. solutions.

Evolution of NPI & MES software - Aegis Industrial Software (Europe) Ltd. (Aegis) will showcase the Version 7 evolution of its proven NPI and MES software system at the Electronics and Automation 2007 show in Utrecht (NL) (23/25 May'07). They will be located inside MYDATA Automation's Stand 8B056. The upcoming Version 7 software release pushes state-of-the-art technology to the next level.

Fieldbus in Brazil - The Fieldbus Foundation (FF) has just announced the establishment of a Brazilian marketing committee. The organisation, which is made up of representatives of leading process automation companies, will promote adoption of FF technology by the Brazilian industry.

New flexibility from portable infrared temperature calibration checker - The highly popular Convir FTK series of Fixed Infrared Temperature Calibration Checkers from Calex has added some flexibility to its arsenal, with a new selection of temperature ranges now available. The existing FTK 95 and 120 models are joined by the FTK 60, which provides calibration checks at 60°C, and further models are available with calibration temperatures ranging from 45°C to 150°C to suit most applications.

New IEC inlet EMC filters impress with their high level of attenuation performance - Schaffner has launched three new ranges of IEC inlet filter modules. The FN 9222E, FN 9233 and FN 9233E have been added to the proven FN 9222 filter range. They have been developed for applications requiring high attenuation performance or additional attenuation on the earth line.

Referrals and other stats! - The Signpost regularly monitors statistics as to how many people are visiting the site and what they are looking at. Detail of these stats are available on our Statistics Page. There are many statistics available to us which we don't publish.
One of these is that listing referrals. This report ranks referring URLs (external web pages) that brought traffic to the site. We don't publish these figures because the vast maajority of these are from Google or equivelent sites. However the highest non-search-engine site to send visitors durinh the first four months of this year (No 21) is pacontrol.com which gives free information about DCS systems, PLC, Instrumentation, new technologies like OPC and Fieldbus, Advanced Control, Batch,etc.

High-output laboratory power supply 'flexes' between 60 V and 50 A - The new QPX1200 laboratory DC power supply from TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments) is a 1.2 kW unit featuring PowerFlex regulation. This enables it to offer voltage and current combinations between 60 V/20 A and 20 V/50 A, making it suitable for a very wide range of applications.

User configurable power supply is medically approved - Excelsys Technologies has introduced the Xvite medically approved power supply series. Offering up to 1200W in an a space saving 1U x 260mm x 127mm chassis the Xvite family offers an innovative "plug and play" architecture allowing end users to configure an application specific power supply with up to 12 outputs in less than 5 minutes.

Air/gas flow sensor range extended - Omron has added a more compact and lower cost version to its range of air and gas flow sensors, designed to detect clogged air intake filters and air velocity flows in office automation equipment, domestic air purifiers and coolers, and HVAC applications. The new sensors offer a monitoring solution at below the cost of a Pitot tube.

Support for the latest MS operating system - National Instruments has announced the release of DIAdem 10.2, the latest version of its interactive data management, analysis and reporting software that now offers support for Windows Vista. National Instruments also released NI DataFinder Server Edition 1.1, an updated version of the data mining solution that works with DIAdem 10.2 to simplify data sharing and mining across entire groups or departments.

Low cost loop powered LVDT transducer amplifier for harsh industrial environments - Where signal conditioning of LVDT position sensors in harsh industrial environments requiring transmission across long cable lengths is called for, then the S7TW, from RDP, loop powered transducer is ideal for the job.

Marketing is not on the dark side! - "Marketers often get a bad rap for no good reason, especially in technology businesses where the focus tends to be on engineering" says Shari Worthington In the mid-month update of What's Working in Marketing & e-Business. Dick Morley, engineer extraordinare and developer of the programmable logic controller (PLC), penned an interesting article in InTech Magazine entitled, "Marketing is Not the Dark Side." Intriguing comment from an engineer. Dick is also an angel investor who has been paying a lot of attention to what works and what doesn't in technology companies. In this article, he cites research that analyzed 80 startup technology companies and rated them from flaming failures to soaring successes.

Relaunched company to fight increasing global security threats to critical infrastructures! - Verano, Inc., today announced its company name change to Industrial Defender Inc, signified by the launch of the world's first completely integrated cyber security solution for critical infrastructures. Industrial Defender's new Cyber Risk Protection Lifecycle solution culminates years of experience in protecting critical infrastructure systems in the power, water, energy, transportation and chemical industries."With nearly two decades of experience in the process control/SCADA environment and all of the security components in place now, Industrial Defender is the only company that can fully protect these industrial environments against increasing cyber security threats and meet upcoming global regulatory compliance deadlines," said Brian M. Ahern (right), president and CEO of Industrial Defender. "The return on investment of Industrial Defender is the cost savings that one cyber attack might have on a critical infrastructure system."

Fieldbus in EMEA election result! - The Fieldbus Foundation has announced that Dr. Graeme Philp has been elected as Vice-Chairman to its Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) Executive Advisory Council (EAC). Dr. Philp is Chief Executive of the MTL Instruments Group plc, based in Luton (GB), and has been a member of the EMEA EAC since its inauguration in February 2005. Elections took place at the annual meeting held during the recent Interkama 2007 international trade fair in Hannover, Germany.

Test management software upgrade - National Instruments has announced NI TestStand 4.0, the latest version of the company's test management software designed to help engineers develop and deploy automated validation and manufacturing test systems. The new version of NI TestStand features a streamlined sequence editor that reduces development time and increases ease of use. Engineers can use the new sequence editor to easily reconfigure the NI TestStand development environment to meet the functionality requirements of advanced systems or to facilitate the use of basic software features for new users. With the preconfigured step templates in the new sequence editor, engineers can easily reuse preconfigured test templates to quickly build test sequences and save time in test system development.

New Ethernet I/O blocks isolate, monitor, and control 48 discrete signals with redundant communication - Acromag has extended their EtherStax™ line of rugged, high-density Ethernet I/O blocks for distributed I/O and SCADA applications with new channel-isolated discrete I/O. Channel-to-channel isolation adds further protection from transients and noise. ES2116, ES2117, and ES2118 models process 32 discrete inputs and 16 outputs with a Modbus TCP/UDP/IP interface to a host controller.
This technology enables peer-to-peer communication between I/O units. Dual network ports support 10/100Base-TX copper and 100Base-FX fiber-optic connections with a redundant communication path for critical applications. Dual DC power terminals enable use of redundant power sources. An embedded web page provides configuration menus accessible with any web browser to eliminate programming. The compact, stackable aluminum enclosure resists shock and vibration making it ideal for mounting directly on machinery.

Network cabling in Scotland - The AMP NetConnect business unit of Tyco Electronics has entered into a partner distribution agreement with the Tait Group of Glasgow, under which Tait Networks will sell, market and support their range of network cabling systems.

Stainless steel connector housing offers protection in process applications - Han-INOX from Harting is a new range of industrial connector housings made of high-grade stainless steel to provide protection against corrosion in applications such as the food & beverage and other processing industries. The new housing offers rugged, corrosion-free, IP 65/67 protected connections to ensure reliable operation in the toughest external environments.

Successful Instrumentation and Control Systems Design from ISA, provides in-depth coverage of the design process, the elements of a successful project, the specific issues to address in a well-designed instrumentation and control (I&C) system, and the engineering products that enable practical design and successful maintenance. The CD-ROM contains Microsoft Excel files for use in designing a project as well as approximately 200 figures, charts, and forms presented in the book for use as training or presentation aids. An Adobe Acrobat document walks you through a sample project and builds a project estimate, schedule, and manpower loading plan. Included is an Excel workbook that calculates a number of deliverables based on item quantities, applies certain labor factors, and develops a budgetary cost and schedule to present to the customer.

Show becomes independent! - In future, Messe München International will be holding an event of its own in India. In August 2008 electronicIndia will be held at the newly opened Bangalore Exhibition Center (BIEC) for the first time. The new trade show center offers state-of-the-art exhibition halls and infrastructure. electronicIndia will be presenting components, systems and applications for electronics and electronics manufacturing and will be held annually.

New version of supervisory monitoring and control software extends ability to solve the toughest supervisory monitoring and control projects - Cimplicity 7.0 is the latest of a long line of high value releases. More than a simple HMI solution, it has been designed to handle complex, multi-user applications on multi-tasking operating systems. Today it is installed in companies around the world and is controlling processes in Automotive, Electronics, Power, Food & Beverage, Oil & Gas, Water/Wastewater as well as other industries. It is involved in every aspect of automation, from discrete to process.

New suite - ARC Informatique launches a suite of products called PcVue Solutions. These will be available throughout ARC's worldwide subsidiary and distribution network. PcVue Solutions is a suite of software and hardware products for visualisation, control, management and data analysis applications.

Positioning actuators provide the speed and precision for high-throughput production and test applications - With a travel range up to 1.5 metres, speeds up to 5 m/s, 5 g acceleration and micron level positioning accuracy, Aerotech's LMA and LMAC series linear actuators provide the enabling technology for high-throughput / high precision pick and place machines, automated test stations and assembly equipment. Available in two module sizes with high performance linear brushless servomotors and integral feedback encoders, LMA/LMAC actuators include dual sealed linear motion guide bearings and robust chain type cable management for a complete positioning solution. LMA and LMAC actuators can be used as fixed or moving

Universal load cell offsets effect of side loading - Designed to reduce to a minimum the effects of side loading, the Model 31 universal load cell from RDP Electronics is compact and ideal for integration in special purpose machinery or test rigs and anywhere space is at a premium. With a minimum body size of just 19 mm diameter and height of 11.5 mm the Model 31 range of load cells offers versions measuring from just 250 gm (2.5N) up to 10,000 lbs (44kN). Enclosed in a stainless steel casing the Model 31 range utilizes rugged strain gauge technology that measures tension or compression forces applied to the centre threads of the load cell.

Versatile waterproof key switch for secure systems - Lorlin Electronics has introduced the WRL series of waterproof miniature key operated lock switches. Sealed to IP66 and IP67 these single or double pole snap-fit switches may be operated by a single common key or one of up to 200 different combinations.

Specialized services now extended to the biotechnology market - The worldwide leader for instruments and special purpose scientific platforms, Invetech, has expanded its service offering to include novel early stage analysis and assessment services for biotechnology and biomedical clients. Building on its success in international instrument development and custom automation, Invetech announces the availability of this critical service to the biotechnology market. With a proven track record of hundreds of development projects worldwide, Invetech’s services are being increasingly relied upon by industry experts seeking an experienced outsourcing co-development partner.

Latest version introduces project-based development environment to better manage large and complex projects - National Instruments has announced the release of MATRIXx 8.0, an industry-proven software suite for model-based design, simulation and embedded code generation. In addition to a revamped user interface, MATRIXx 8.0 introduces a project-based development environment to help engineers, designers and researchers in industries such as aerospace and automotive better manage large projects.

More Headlines from the Matrikon Summit 2007 - Walt Boyes's Report on Thursday's activities at the Matrikon Summit - "Where industry and technology come together" - from Control Global.com.

Certification achieved - The Avantis unit of Invensys Process Systems has announced that its Avantis.PRO enterprise asset management (EAM) software solution has been Windows Vista certified. To achieve certification, the Avantis.PRO software passed the Certified for Windows Vista test conducted by Veritest to ensure compliance with deployment and operating requirements defined by Microsoft.

New miniature mould pressure sensor for abrasive plastics - Kistler Instruments has introduced a special version of its Type 6182B miniature mould pressure sensor for use when moulding plastics material reinforced with glass-fibre and other abrasive materials. The Type 6182BCE has a chromium plated front face but is otherwise identical to the standard product including single wire technology for quick and easy installation in multi-cavity moulds. Sensitivity is 2.5 pC/bar over the operating range of 0 to 2000 bar in the melt temperature range up to 450 °C. The operating temperature range is 0 to 200°C and the front diameter is only 2.5mm making the sensor suitable for small parts moulding in multi-cavity moulds.

Headlines from the Matrikon Summit 2007 - Report on Wednesday's activities at the Matrikon Summit - "Where industry and technology come together" - from Control Global.com.

Compliance 3 RF EMC test software now offers portable licence and latest test requirements - Teseq, (formerly Schaffner Test Systems), has announced the latest enhancements to their market leading "Compliance 3" EMC test software. They first launched their innovative test software in 2000 and the package is under continual development. Continuous improvement is driven by the requirements of ever changing standards, customer feedback and Teseq’s quest to ensure Compliance 3 continues as the de-facto standard software for EMC testing. Teseq has maintained a team of software development, applications support and customer support engineers permanently working to improve and enhance the product’s capabilities and ease of use.

Virtual instrumentation conference - National Instruments has announced plans for NIWeek, probably the industry's premier event covering virtual instrumentation and graphical system design. NIWeek 2007, the company's 13th annual customer and technology conference, opens Aug. 7 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas, for three days of interactive technical sessions, targeted forums, exhibitions and hands-on workshops on the latest developments for design, automation, manufacturing and test.

Sale of four highly specialised British technical trade events to American organiser - Trident Exhibitions Ltd of Tavistock (GB), have just concluded a deal to sell its four manufacturing and technology exhibitions to Canon Communications of Los Angeles (CA US). The shows that have been sold are; *IPOT, Machine Vision and Displays Technology: the complete resource for optical, photonics, vision and displays technology *Mtec: focuses on sensors, measurement and instrumentation technology *Machine Building, Drives & Automation: the definitive event for design-build technologies and systems integrators *Practical Vacuum: covers all aspects of vacuum technology and semiconductor processing. These shows have been running concurrently with Canon's MEDTEC UK and 3C trade shows for many years and are "highly synergistic in exhibition content and visitor traffic." The first shows to be held under Canon ownership will take place on February 13th- 14th 2008 at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. The signpost visits and reports on the mtec and parallel shows each year.

New VP to lead sales and distribution expansion - OpenMake Software welcomed former Serena executive Mark Manzo as senior vice president of Sales. They are revolutionizing the build-to-release management process for organisations of all sizes, adding new products and enhancing sales capabilities. To ensure the company's success, Mark is responsible for expanding OpenMake's sales and distribution efforts.

Newsletter on flow - David Spitzer's E-Zine, May issue has just been distributed and is fullkof interesting information on flow measurement.

Unique camera sensor - Firstsight Vision can now offer the new Genie HM640, HM1024 and HM1400 GigE Vision and GenICam-compliant machine vision cameras from DALSA. These cameras are characterized by unique sensors, developed and manufactured by DALSA which are available only on Genie cameras. The new sensors deliver performance with excellent image quality at high speeds, bringing unparalleled price/performance and offering new opportunities to vision system developers.

New input module extends functionality of precision power analyser - A new 2 A current input module has been introduced to further enhance the functionality of the Yokogawa WT3000 precision power analyser. The new module is particularly suited to testing power electronics systems in areas such as motors and drives, lighting, domestic appliances and mobile telephones.

Management buyout - Applied Scintillation Technologies (AST)'s Technical Director, Dr. Glenn Tyrrell and Sales and Marketing Director, Stuart Quinn have purchased majority share capital of the company from the Levy Hill Group plc through a new enterprise, TQ Scientific. Dr. Tyrrell has become CEO of AST while Quinn will continue as Sales and Marketing Director.

New developments in linear Hall-effect sensors - At the Sensor & Test Conference (Nuremberg D, 22-24 May 2007), engineers from Allegro MicroSystems are to present a paper covering major new developments in linear Hall-effect sensor technology. In particular, the paper will focus on a new low-noise, high-bandwidth linear Hall-effect sensor for applications in current and position sensing. The new device includes improved amplification and a new filter option that allows the user to reduce noise and bandwidth by changing a filter capacitor.

Distillation Control and Optimization Sponsored by: Mynah Technologies 43 page e-book In this Ebook, Béla Lipták, one of the great thinkers and authorities in the industry, provides a concise, yet complete analysis of distillation control, showing the potential for savings through better control and optimization. It provides focus on the important aspects of the subject for the time-pressed engineer, and shows how these increases in efficiency and savings can be accomplished by the application of state-of-the-art process controls. Downloadable from Control Global News.

Low-end controllers - GE Fanuc Automation has just announced the Durus family of low-end controllers. The Durus controller provides a rugged design and is filled with state-of-the-art features in a small package. It is built to take on the industrial environment with standard features like a built-in Operator Interface, a wide range of communications options, expansion slots, and a solid slide-and-snap mechanical interlock to expansion modules.

Product guide released - CAN in Automation (CiA) has published the CANopen Product Guide 2007. The online product guide is available at www.can-cia.org/products/pg2007. It provides a comprehensive overview of CANopen devices and services available. Entries are listed by categories; categories include application-specific devices (e.g. for train vehicles, trucks, lifts, etc.) but also include generic devices (e.g. drives, controllers, gateways, I/O modules, etc.).

Large-scale refurbishment of end-user plants drives growth in the automation and control solutions market in Eastern Europe - The automation and control solutions market in eastern Europe is expected to witness strong growth. At present, European Union legislation is driving growth in the market, as end users are forced to upgrade their existing automation systems to comply with EU norms. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Automation and Control Solutions Market in Eastern Europe, finds that the market earned revenues of $514.7 million in 2006 and estimates this to reach $959.5 million in 2013.

Mass measurement in BASF plastic production - BASF, the world's largest chemical company, uses several Krohne mass flowmeters in the Luran factory at its headquarters in Ludwigshafen (D). Plastic production has many complex requirements, which KROHNE is best able to fulfill with its OptiMass7000 straight-tube meter. This meter features problem-free commissioning and the ability to run idle even when installed horizontally. When BASF undertook the conversion of an old system in the Luran factory, these Coriolis meters were the first choice. These flowmeters are used when conveying solvents and are the third generation to be installed by BASF in its systems.

High line wet/wet pressure differential transducer for gas or fluids - Designed to provide accurate measurement with extremely high line pressure, the HLZ wet/wet differential pressure transducer from RDP Electronics is suitable for measurement and control of liquid or gas in applications such as flow, general process and laboratory testing. This transducer measures the difference in pressure between two wetted ports and is offered with linearity options of 0.25% and 0.50% full scale for pressures ranges from 50 psid to 7500 psid. Encased in a stainless steel enclosure the HLZ incorporates unique bonded foil gauges ensuring high accuracy with high overload capacity.

New director of engineering appointed - Effective immediately, Tina Lockhart is promoted to Director of Engineering at Moore Industries-International. Tina joined the company in April 2006 as Product Development Manager. "We will put Tina's strong background in engineering process and management to maximum benefit for the company," says Leonard Moore, president of Moore Industries. "Tina has made major contributions as a product development manager at Moore Industries, and now she will be in charge of all aspects of the Engineering department."

Advanced pH Measurement and Control provides a clear, concise, and comprehensive view of how to select, install, and maintain electrodes, control valves, and control strategies for pH applications critical for product and water quality in the process industry. ADVANCED PH MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL, 3RD EDITION Gregory K. McMillan and Robert A. Cameron; ISA

Automation contract for grassroots LNG terminal in Louisiana awarded - Invensys Process Systems has won an automation contract from Aker Kvaerner that includes Foxboro distributed control systems (DCS), Triconex safety systems and fire & gas systems, and Foxboro Instrumentation. The Invensys contract covers process and safety systems for all storage and regasification processes, as well as remote control centers for marine unloading operations at the docks at a new LNG receiving terminal in the Gulf coast area.

Wireless communications at bus conference - A presentation from Alan Bollard of Westermo Data Communications discussing the various radio techniques that can be used on Profibus DP and Profinet systems is one of the highlights of the forthcoming Profibus Group User Conference, scheduled on 26-27 June 2007 near Coventry (GB).
The presentation will cover the use of low power radio (458 and 869Mhz) for both Profibus and Profinet and consider how you can use wireless Ethernet (2.4Ghz) solutions within Profinet systems: each has its benefits but also disadvantages. The presentation will discuss the consideration that must be given to transmission power, antenna design, bandwidth and latency times for wireless systems in Profibus and Profinet data communications.

Best workplace is fun to work in!! - National Instruments UK & Ireland has been named as one of the UK's 50 Best Workplaces in the Financial Times 2007 Best Workplaces Special Report compiled by Great Place to Work®. This is the second consecutive year that NI has appeared in the FT Best Workplaces report and, this year, NI is the only high technology manufacturer recognised in the list. The annual survey polls employees nationwide about the quality of their corporate cultures. NI employees identified the company's informal and spontaneous atmosphere, strong success culture and the fact that they feel valued by management amongst the characteristics which make the company a great place to work. The Financial Times Special Report also identified National Instruments as one of the UK's Top 5 Fun and Friendly Companies and Top 5 Most Welcoming Companies.

Hall-effect bipolar switch is optimised for pulsed power - The new A1205 from Allegro MicroSystems is a general-purpose Hall-effect bipolar switch that is optimised for applications where pulsing the supply line is used to conserve power. The new device is a next-generation replacement of Allegro's popular A3134 bipolar switch but with enhanced performance in a more compact package.

Miniature low mass accelerometer is robust - Despite its small size and low mass, the new shear mode, stud-fixing accelerometer from Environmental Equipments is suitable for use in harsh industrial applications. The sealed stainless steel case and 500g shock load capability combined with the ±500g range, low mass of 6 gram and 6.0 pC/g output sensitivity makes the Model 1021 ideal for a wide variety of vibration monitoring duties in production and laboratory. For use in wet conditions, including underwater, a fully waterproof version is available.

Delight with events at show! - The Fieldbus Foundation is delighted with the success of its booth at the Interkama 2007 International Trade Fair, held mid April in Hannover (D). Coordinated by the Fieldbus Foundation German Marketing Committee, the 300m² booth adopted the theme "Changing the Playing Field", and demonstrated the scope of Foundation™ fieldbus technology in process and hybrid applications that makes it one of the most advanced and scalable process automation infrastructures available today.

Distributor appointed for Finland and Scandanavia- Extech Instruments has appointed Etherma Skandinavia Oy, to market their range of test and measurement products in Finland and Scandinavia.

Vibration levels - only a click away! - Monitran has launched VI-sage ("visage"), a combined hardware and web-based solution that enables companies to monitor remotely vibration data as part of their asset management and predictive maintenance routines. Further, VI-sage can also notify users, via SMS text messaging and email, if user-defined vibration levels are reached.

Attendance exceeds 2,300 with representatives from over 1000 companies - The WonderWorld 2006 user conferences exceeded expectations regarding the amount and variety of participating companies - approx 600 in Europe alone - as well as the balanced mix of business executives, engineering and IT professionals, most of which rated the event with good or even excellent. Participating companies included BASF, Masterfoods USA, Porsche, SAP, PPG Industries, Tillamook Nucor Steel and many others.
See our report on the event in Daventry (GB).
The WonderWorld 2006 conference series - co-sponsored by Microsoft - was conducted at 19 locations throughout Europe, the U.S., Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. The purpose was to provide executives, information-technology professionals, operations management and engineering personnel with essential information on how they can optimise plant and enterprise operations. The educational sessions focused particularly on the 2006 motto "Unleash Operational Excellence" for manufacturing and facility management: And looking at the variety of management, engineering and IT professionals from different industries such as automobile, food processing, chemicals and engineering gathered in the audiences across Europe, the Americas and the Pacific, Wonderware very successfully managed to bring together all the right disciplines required.
Wonderware Ireland are advertisers on the signpost Home page

Analysers will monitor unit effectiveness and provide additional levels of safety - Emerson Process Management is providing Rosemount Analytical X-STREAM Process Gas Analysers to Roplex Engineering, a leading UK provider of Vapour Recovery Units (VRU's) and services to petroleum distribution terminals. The explosion proof, dual channel X-STREAM infrared analysers are being used to measure carbon monoxide and butane, monitoring the effectiveness of the VRU in removing all the hydrocarbons and thereby adding additional levels of safety at terminals.

Canadian company receives 'Best Practices Award' for improving pharmaceutical batch process with pH sensors - Invensys customer, Gilead Alberta, received a 2007 Plant Services Best Practices Award for improving pharmaceutical batch processing efficiency while substantially reducing costs using advanced-technology Foxboro pH sensors.
Gilead Alberta is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercialises innovative therapeutics to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases worldwide.
The Plant Services Best Practice Award recognises management technique, work process, product, and service implementations that improve industrial plant performance, maintenance, reliability and asset management. Winners are selected by the more than 105,000 subscribers of Plant Services magazine, who judge entries based on short- and long-term return on investment, innovation, and breadth of application.

Innovative dissolved ozone monitor to improve drinking water quality - Analytical Technology (ATi) tells us that Bristol Water (GB) has chosen its innovative Q45H/64 Dissolved Ozone Analyser for the on-line monitoring and control of ozone levels in drinking water. Bristol Water uses dissolved ozone for the disinfection of potable water. Offering ultimate flexibility, ease of use and accuracy, ATi’s analyser has reduced the amount of energy required for the ozone disinfection process, thus minimising the associated costs while also improving the quality of Bristol Water's drinking water, which currently ranks among the best in the world.